Yazd Provincee

Yazd or Yezd (In Persian: یزد), is the capital of Yazd province, one of the most ancient and historic cities in Iran and a centre of Zoroastrian culture. The city is located some 175 miles southeast of Isfahan, at 31.92° North, 54.37° East. In 2005 it had an estimated population of 433,836 people. In 2006 it had an estimated population of 505,037. Because of generations of adaptations to its desert surroundings, Yazd is an architecturally unique city. It is also known in Iran for the high quality handicrafts, especially silk weaving, and its sweets shops.

Geography and Climate

Yazd is situated at an oasis where the Dasht-e Kavir desert and the Dasht-e Lut desert meet (the city is sometimes called "the bride of the Kavir" because of its location), in a valley between Shir Kuh, the tallest mountain in the region at 4075 m. above sea level, and Kharaneq. The city itself is located at 1203 m. above sea-level, and covers 16,000 km².
According to the administrative division rules, the Yazd province is divided into 10 districts, each includes at least one town and a number of villages. These districts are: Abarkuh, Ardakan, Bafq, Khatam, Maybod, Mehriz, Tabas, Sadough, Taft and Yazd.
The climate is generally very dry, with cold winters and hot summers. The temperature tends to fluctuate dramatically, even between night and day, but especially summer to winter. Temperatures of 40 °C in the summer and -20 °C in the winter have been recorded.

History

The city has a 3000 year long history, dating back to the time of the Median empire, when it was known as Ysatis (or Issatis). The present city name, however, may have been derived from Yazdegerd I, a Sassanid ruler. The city was definitely a Zoroastrian centre during Sassanid times. After the Islamic conquest of Persia, many Zoroastrians fled to Yazd from neighbouring provinces. The city remained Zoroastrian even after the conquest by paying a levy, and only gradually did Islam come to be the dominant religion in the city.

Because of its remote desert location and the difficulty of approach, Yazd had remained largely immune to large battles and the destruction and ravages of war. For instance, it was a haven for those fleeing from destruction in other parts of Persia during the invasion of Genghis Khan. It was visited by Marco Polo in 1272 who remarked on the city's fine silk weaving industry. It briefly served as the capital of the Muzaffarid Dynasty in the 14th century, and was sieged unsuccessfully in 1350–1351 by the Injuids under Shaikh Abu Ishaq. The Friday (or Congregation) Mosque, arguably the city's greatest architectural landmark, as well as other important buildings date to this period. During the Qajar dynasty (18th Century AD) it was ruled by the Bakhtiari Khans.

Architecture and Heritage

Yazd has some of the finest examples of traditional desert Persian residential architecture.
Yazd is of foremost importance as a centre of Persian architecture. Because of its climate, it has one of the largest networks of qanats in the world, and Yazdi qanat makers are considered the most skilled in Iran. To deal with the extremely hot summers, many old buildings in Yazd have magnificent windcatchers, and large underground areas. The city is also home to prime examples of yakhchals, the latter of which were used to store ice retrieved from glaciers the nearby mountains. Yazd is also one of the largest cities built almost entirely out of adobe.
Yazd's heritage as a centre of Zoroastrianism is also important. There is a Tower of Silence on the outskirts, and the city itself has a Fire Temple, which holds a fire that has been kept alight continuously since 470 AD. Presently, Zoroastrians make up a significant minority of the population, around 20 - 40,000 or 5 to 10%.

Yazd today

Always known for the quality of its silk and carpets, Yazd today is one of Iran's industrial centers for textiles. There is also a considerable ceramics and construction materials industry and unique confectionery and jewelry industries. A significant portion of the population is also employed in other industries including agriculture, dairy, metal works and machine manufacturing. There are a number of companies involved in the growing information technology industry, mainly manufacturing primary materials such as cables and connectors. Currently Yazd is the home of the largest manufacturer of fibre optics in Iran.
Yazd's confectioneries have a tremendous following throughout Iran, which has been a source of tourism for the city. Workshops (experts or khalifehs) keep their recipes a guarded secret and there are many that have remained a private family business for many generations. Baghlava, ghotab and pashmak are the most popular sweets made in the city.
Yazd Atttractions:

Yazd city

t is located 689 km from Tehran right in the center of Iran and almost entirely surrounded by deserts. It was called Ke-Se and Isatis as Greek historians have called it during the ancient period of Iranian history. The current name comes from Yazdan and Izad denoting holiness, auspicious and creatable. The first foundation of Yazd belongs to Alexander the great, or the millennium before the emergence of Islam. According to other historians the city was founded as the name of 'Yazdangerd' by command of Yazdgerd I (339-421 AD) at this area in Sassanid era. After emergance of Islam and adhering of Iranians to this religion, Yazd was given the title 'Darol'ebadeh'. The architecture of Yazd is unique, combining a proliferation of those graceful bad-girs (wind-towers) seen in central and southern Iran. The UNESCO has recognized Yazd as a city having the second oldest architecture all over the world. The city has always been a great weaving center, known for its silks and other fabrics even before Marco Polo passed through along one of the Silk roads in the late 13th century.

Amir Chakhmaq Mosque

The fourteenth century A.D. Masjed (mosque) Amir Chakhmaq is next to the bazaar portal, famous for its superb portal ornamented with stucco, and the traditional four-ivan structure on a courtyard which is a bit too small for the ivans. Actually, this represents one of the buildings of a historic complex incorporating a mosque, a public bath, a caravansary, a mausoleum, a Ta'zieh (a traditional play of Imam Hossein martyrdom), three water reservoirs, and an imposing entrance to one of Yazd’s bazaars.

Fire temple (Atashkadeh)

The most important Zoroastrian fire temple is surrounded by evergreen trees. According to the Zoroastrian elder attendance in the place, there is a sacred flame behind a glass visible from the small museum inside which has been burning since about 470 A.D. and was transferred from its original site in 1940. There are also a couple of paintings, including one of Zoroastrian paintings. Architecturally, there are certain similarities in this fire temple  with those of Indian Zoroastrians.

Baq-h Dolat Abad Complex

This is a complex built according to the original Iranian architectural style and consists of a large garden and some buildings. The most impressive part of the complex is a high Bad-gir (wind traps) on the roof and a water stream in the interior. Lattice doors and windows with stained glass patterns impart a pleasing sight to the complex.

Towers of Silence

Dakhmeh or Qaleh-ye Khamushan (towers of silence) consists of three impressive buildings remaining from several other similar structures on hilltops outside and in the immediate vicinity of the town (about 15 km to the south-west), where the bodies of the dead Zoroastrians would be brought to the foot of the tower so that a ritual ceremony could be held in presence of the relatives and friends of the deceased. At the foot of the hills there are several other disused Zoroastrian buildings including a defunct well, two small Bad-girs(wind towers), a kitchen and a lavatory.

Desert Attractions of Yazd

One of the interesting attractions of Iran are deserts. The view of flowing sands, dry salt marshes and historical edifices and old caravanserais are attractive for every tourist. Different species of plants, next to the flowing sand hills get the attention of anyone. One of the attractions of Yazd province is the Yazd-Bafoq axis which crosses the old mosque of Mohraj and is located in the edge of desert and continues to Bafoq. Along the way tamarisk jungles, which cover the margin of desert, give special attraction and beauty to this area. From Yazd-Kharanaq-Bayazeh to Khurbiyabanak axis which is occupied and covered with sand hills and desert bushes is another attraction of this area. In different parts of this area there are beautiful caravanserais with curved windows and magnificent architecture which creates a worth seeing collection. Ardakan and Aharqu are also other desert areas of Yazd.

Wind Towers

Wind towers are infact traditional air-conditioners used in the buildings and consructions in the past. They are connected to the halls, pavilions and cellars so the air can circulate through the building. Touching the wet substances such as water in the pools in the middle of the halls and trees in the courtyards, the dried air becomes wet and pleasant, blowing in the rooms and halls. The numerous wind towers in Yazd make the city very remarkable. Most of the houses, altars of the mosques, water resevoirs have such traditional air-conditioners. The altars of Mola Hossein and Rig mosques and Mehriz in Yazd all have unique wind towers worth to visit.

Yazd Jam'eh Mosque

There is no more impressive gateway in Iran than this great soaring 14-century edifice. Crowned by a pair of minarets, the highest in Iran, the portal facade is decorated from top to bottom in dazzling tile works, predominantly blue in color.